Tea party Rep. Trey Radel busted for cocaine in DC

[Lasher]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Tx4obama (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Miami Herald

Congressman Trey Radel, a tea party freshman lawmaker from Fort Myers, was arrested Oct. 29 for cocaine possession in Washington D.C, Politico reported.

Radel, who faces a maximum of 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, was charged Tuesday in D.C. Superior Court with misdemeanor cocaine possession and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.

“I’m profoundly sorry to let down my family, particularly my wife and son, and the people of Southwest Florida,” the 37-year-old Republican, whose legal name is Henry Jude Radel III, said in a statement. “I struggle with the disease of alcoholism, and this led to an extremely irresponsible choice. As the father of a young son and a husband to a loving wife, I need to get help so I can be a better man for both of them.”

If Radel had been arrested in his home state for cocaine possession, he would have faced far more serious consequences than in Washington. The crime is a felony in Florida, where Radel would have lost his voting and other civil rights had he been convicted in state court.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/19/3765335/tea-party-rep-trey-radel-busted.html

[UCmeNdc]

1. Jail time.......

[hrmjustin]

2. I wonder if he will now want to revisit those drug laws now.

[Lasher]

5. I couldn't believe nobody had posted this in LBN by the time I ran across it.

158 Google news sources already, going viral. Now he's Henry "Toast" Radel.

[hrmjustin]

8. Good catch.

[Purveyor]

16. Actually the topic is posted in LBN but the Miami Herald headline is more attention getting.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014652380

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

14. He says he doesn't support, "lock'em up", policies...

"A libertarian-leaning Republican, Radel doesn’t support lock-‘em-up policies. He was a co-sponsor of a bill to reduce mandatory-minimum sentencing, which is blamed for incarcerating drug users for prolonged periods and increasing prison populations."

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/19/3765335/tea-party-rep-trey-radel-busted.html#storylink=cpy

[hrmjustin]

15. Thanks for the info.

[Botany]

3. Using the Mayor Ford excuse ..... it was the booze that made me buy the coke

and he is a tea bagger married to a local Fox "News" anchor.

somewhere there is a van down by the river

BTW back in the day when I was stupid I bought drugs because I wanted them not
because I was drunk

[bluesbassman]

10. *This*

Typical repug response: Shift the blame.

[nyquil_man]

12. Yep, bought it during one of his drunken stupors.

It's starting to sound as though booze is the real gateway drug...

[2naSalit]

4. Hubris

and the trouble it brings is like an awl in a cloth bag...

[hollowdweller]

6. Copycat of Toronto Mayor and Mike Roark.

[Faygo Kid]

7. He's toast. Whoever heard of someone from South Florida doing cocaine?

Oh. Wait.

[47of74]

9. The GOP leadership is probably relieved it's just drugs and...

...not him making a wide stance in a bathroom stall.

[Divine Discontent]

24. florida gop politicos got enough of a bad history as it is! add this to it. coke!

http://www.zazzle.com/shutdown_the_gop_by_voting_in_2014_government-128195183613839642?rf=238107662556833486

[Heather MC]

11. Ironic he is from one of the States that Drug test welfare recipients

Maybe they are testing the wrong people
things that make you go hmmmmmm

[svpadgham]

18. Want to rec this soooo much.

[Divine Discontent]

25. oh my goodness... such a good post! they spent millions testing the wrong folks, and,

many of us complained at the time that was announced on here, that the state should test the GOP politicos. ha

[TeamPooka]

13. Prohibition is a failed public policy. Even for Republicans. nt

[Jesus Malverde]

17. Rep. Trey Radel busted in cocaine sting

The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the case, said several federal agencies working as part of a task force arrested a dealer who told them one of his cocaine customers was a congressman. The dealer, working with federal agents, set up a buy on Oct. 29, and Radel, a freshman congressman first elected last year, purchased the cocaine, the official said.

FBI agents later went to Radel's apartment, where they detained him, the official said. Radel hired a defense attorney who negotiated charges with a prosecutor, the official said. Law enforcement agents never handcuffed Radel or took him to jail, the official said.

Radel will appear Wednesday in District of Columbia Superior Court to face the misdemeanor cocaine possession charge. Charging documents from the U.S. attorney's office say Radel "unlawfully, knowingly and intentionally" possessed "a quantity of cocaine."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/11/19/trey-radel-drug-possession-congress/3643933/

[jmowreader]

19. Can congressmen serve after drug convictions?

[factsarenotfair]

20. Florida Congressman Arrested on Cocaine Charges Has History With Sex-Themed Websites - Mother Jones

Who could have anticipated that the former owner of sexguideonline.com might get into trouble as a congressman? On Tuesday, Politico broke the news that freshman congressman Henry "Trey" Radel (R-Fla.) was arrested on cocaine possession charges in DC last month and is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday. (DC Superior Court records on the charges can be found here.)

Radel, a tea party favorite and a Fox News radio host, came to office with an unusual background, having run a business that bought somewhat pornographic sex-themed domain names in both English and Spanish, as Mother Jones reported last year. Radel's business snagged all sorts of un-family friendly domain names, including www.casadelasputas.com (whorehouse) and www.mamadita.com (little blow job).
...
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/11/trey-radel-cocaine-sex-websites

[hotrod0808]

21. Yet another

family-values Republican that is doesn't quite live up to their ideal. Maybe they should press a good man like George Zimmerman to fill his seat when he goes to prison.

[Divine Discontent]

23. AGREED! if GZ merely went on a rant how the liberal lamestream media was behind his problems

and setting him up, when he was merely trying to live proudly as an American who loved his gun rights and protecting himself, and felt the nation was falling apart and needed a strong conservative voice, he'd win the GOP/tea nomination.

[MADem]

22. He must be a graduate of Mayor Ford of Toronto's Leadership School! nt

[Tx4obama]

26. Locking, sorry. LBN Dupe. Please continue discussion on LBN link below

LBN OP here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014652380

Thanks